A unique collection of Swatch wacthes The Blum Collection

The Blum Collection

A fascinating collection

The Blum Collection is one of the most complete collections of Swatch watches in the world, which reflects the outstanding story of Swatch. It was sold at a historical amount of USD 6,618,560. The current owner of the Blum Collection, a mainland Chinese collector that wishes to remain anonymous, graciously let Swatch use the collection for exhibition purposes for a limited amount of time.

The Blum Collection was assembled over many years by Swiss businessman Peter Blum and his wife Linda, passionate collectors of Swatch watches since the brand’s early days. The exceptional assembly comprises 4,370 elements, including a large number of prototypes, hybrids and production variants never brought to market. Many of the prototypes date from the extraordinary period prior to commercialisation of the first Swatch watches in the early 1980s, and are thus extremely rare.

Among the most interesting and sought-after by collectors are a number of prototypes designed by the American artist Keith Haring, as well as the artist’s legendary Swatch watches Modele avec Personnage, Milles Pattes, Serpent and Blanc sur Noir. Additional rarities include Swatch watches created by artists Mimmo Paladino, Alfred Hofkunst and Sam Francis.

The auction

The auction

Handled by the noted art auction house Phillips de Pury & Company, this one-of-a-kind auction attracted considerable interest during pre-sale showings in New York, London and Shanghai, where it was exhibited at the Swatch Art Peace Hotel, the restored cultural landmark and art hotel on the Bund. Art auction expert Simon de Pury set the stage for a highly emotional Swatch event with the choice of a prestigious venue in one of China’s most dynamic and spectacular cities.

With its own long-term relationship and commitment to art, Swatch is proud to have seen this auction hosted in China, a country with a notable artistic heritage and a vibrant relationship to the arts today. The Four Seasons Hotel in Hong Kong formed a perfect setting for what turned out to be the most amazing sale of Swatch watches ever sold as single lot for USD 6,618,560.